


After the sacrifice

by ToasterLord



Category: ReBoot (TV)
Genre: Acceptance, Computer Viruses, Friendship, Gen, Self-Acceptance, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 17:38:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16581038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToasterLord/pseuds/ToasterLord
Summary: Spread through the ether of the Net in a million fragments, Hexadecimal glides peacefully past system after system. Not deleted, but merely de-fragmented. Perhaps... there may be a chance for her to reform.





	After the sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys :)
> 
> So I'm posting this cause I've wanted to write something about ReBoot for so long and I finally got around to it. I am currently in the midst of another Scooby Doo chapter as well so keep an eye out for that. This is just a bit of fun, read it if you like. Thank you so much for reading my stuff guys, it means a lot.

Hexadecimal was drifting through the Net. She had been doing so for so long now. She had no idea how long exactly. Her consciousness was kind of broken up into millions of fragments travelling all over the Net, through every system Daemon’s Message had spread to. She couldn’t focus on one thing entirely, since her mind was split up so many times, in so many different systems. The fleeting image of a beautiful skyline sped past only for another image of a sandy seashore to stretch in front of her for less than a nanosecond. Her memories were all fragmented as well, allowing her to drift through blissfully with no regrets. She could barely remember Mainframe. She could barely remember the people there. Bob and… Megabyte and… the other guys. She briefly saw the Supercomputer, but it was too heavily defended by firewalls and anti-virus technology for her to even think about entering. Daemon hadn’t managed to infect that yet so there was no point trying to enter it.

So why did she feel so… lonely?

She became somewhat aware of another system in the distance. A new system; it was practically undefended and completely open. A perfect place. She suddenly felt longing to be home. But where was home? Who was she?

She gathered enough energy to will her fragments towards it, dragging them from so many other systems. Her coding aligned again, giving her a familiar shape. She was nearly there.

 

*

 

“Zip, get me a visual on the anomaly!”

The team of Sprites had their attention completely focused on the sight in front of them: a mass of code had arrived in Protoframe and had exploded into the system. Every CPU had noticed it arrive, but no one could explain it. It was a mass of light and colour with no shape or form. There was no way to identify it.

Zip was a young male sprite with green skin, and wild black hair. He was dressed in a generic black uniform of the system, but his Icon ranked him as Keeper. The sprite that had given him the order was a tall, muscular built Viral Defence Commander with a silver crewcut. He was extremely angry

“I’m enhancing the anomaly now sir” said Zip nervously, typing away.

The screen zoomed in, blinding all the Sprites and CPUs in the room. A female Guardian stepped forwards to the panel where Zip was sitting.

“Dex,” She said, typing in a code, “This anomaly is like something I’ve never seen. We can’t just run in full force!” 

This Guardian was known as Cynth. Dex had been coded into the system from the start, giving Protoframe its basic protection settings. Cynth had been assigned later after a particularly bad virus attack, where a malicious bug deleted half of the files on the system. His command had maintained the majority of the systems upkeep and along with the help of the Systems Manager, Zip, Protoframe was a perfectly functioning System. None of them were prepared for such an anomaly to appear before them however. The code shot around randomly, not following any designated pattern. This made it hard for the CPUs to target and identify. None of them were prepared for what happened next.

“ _Warning: Incoming Game_ ” the system crooned in its soft voice.

“What?! No not now!” Cynth tapped the keys, desperately trying to reject the game. It didn’t work.

The gamecube descended into the system, and engulfed the mass of code. Dex let out a yell and slammed his fist into the table.

“Cynth which game is it?” he growled.

“Erm, you’re not going to like this sir” Zip whimpered.

“Why not?” Dex gripped the back of his chair.

Zip tapped a button and the screen illuminated with the name of the game.

Dark Avenger II

 

*

 

Cynth flew her hoverboard into the gamecube just as it collided with the floor of the system. She flew alone. This game was much too difficult for Zip to join her, and she couldn’t risk him being deleted if the User won. The section of the game loaded in, and a tall forest grew around her. Her Key Tool informed her that she was in an area known as Hunters Woods. 

“Hmm” she groaned. She’d been in this area before and didn’t like it.

With a double tap to her icon, she took on the crimson form of an enemy known as a Bone Shaman, who wielded a huge bone staff. It was her job to defeat the User before he defeated her. Or, she could let them challenge the boss. That would allow her to leave the game peacefully. But that was the problem with this game; it was too unpredictable. She gripped her scythe as she saw the User charge towards her. Her blood froze as she observed his bulky armour and huge club. If he had that armour, he must have played through the game already. Staff at the ready, she approached him. Before she even began to attack, the ground began to rumble. The movement caused both her and the User to stumble back. She looked around, confused. That movement couldn't possibly have come from one of the other enemies in the area.

There came a series of loud crashes and flashes of bright lights. She stood back, aghast. The User turned. They both witnessed a… what could only be described as a glitchy mess. It looked like an NPC, except they were a blank model stuck in a T-Pose, yet still able to run forwards. It carried what looked like a greatsword. Well, the greatsword was floating alongside it, swinging rapidly. Random magic explosions followed it as it steamrolled towards them. The User tried to block the onslaught but was instantly defeated. As he disappeared into mist, the NPC charged towards Cynth. 

“ _Game over. User defeated_ ” the game crooned. 

Before the NPC could even come close to Cynth, the gamecube rose up away from them and their in-game IDs were removed. Cynth regained her normal Guardian attire. The glitch became… a sprite.

 

*

 

Hexadecimal looked up. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out a few shapes. She rubbed her head with her hand. And looked down at it.

It was blue. 

After freezing for a second, she scrambled to a puddle on the nearby floor. On staring into it, needless to say, she was shocked.

She had taken her sprite form again, except this time it was very different; her skin was a pale blue instead of yellow, and her elegant corset attire complete with her cape was a deep blue instead of white. Gloves adorned her arms, ending at her hands, showing off her blue skin. Her curly black hair was back, and her headpiece was a deep grey instead. Her face and head were white down to her chest again, much like her original sprite form. She couldn’t help but stare.

“You! Freeze and stand up!” came a voice from her side.

“Which would you want me to do, freeze or stand up?” Hexadecimal replied nonchalantly, still admiring her reflection.

“Just… you… stand up and show yourself!” 

Hex sighed and stood up to her full height. She turned to face the voice. A quivering sprite in Guardian attire stood before her, aiming her Keytool at her. Hex raised an eyebrow. 

“Can I help?” she asked.

“State your name and function!” the sprite called to her.

“Well, my name is… Hexadecimal?” Hex relayed hesitantly.

“Are you sure?”

“I… don’t… know…” Hex rubbed her head.

“How can you not know?” the Guardian had lowered her Keytool and was just confused, “Who are you?”

“I can’t… remember… I think I was a…”

“CYNTH!” another voice yelled.

The two turned to see a much larger male sprite approaching them. He was much more intimidating than this weedy little Guardian.

“Don’t lower your guard, we don’t know what this sprite is capable of, so for now, always stand guard”

“Oh sweetie, if I wanted to destroy you, then I would have done so by now” Hex chuckled.

“And what do you mean by that?” the large sprite growled.

Before she could answer, yet another sprite ran up to the group. He was much smaller and weaker looking, and had green skin like… who had green skin again?

“Because she’s the most powerful Guardian we’ve ever recorded!”

That was the last sentence she heard, because she promptly blacked out.


End file.
